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Re: [TowerTalk] End feeding a half-wave vetical

To: K4SAV <RadioIR@charter.net>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] End feeding a half-wave vetical
From: David Jordan <wa3gin@erols.com>
Date: Wed, 01 Jun 2005 11:32:42 -0400
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
...net net....if you want to lower your primary radiation angle going to 
1/2 wave vertical isn't going to  get you there.  The work effort has to 
be spent on the radial system but in reality if you aren't on a salt 
marsh or ocean  front, etc. there isn't much you can do to get a 
significant lowering of the radiation angle.  John Devoldere's book goes 
into this seldom heard wisdom in great detail.

Good Luck,
dave
wa3gin

K4SAV wrote:

>In reference to an auto transformer matching network for a half wave 
>vertical:
>
>In John Devoldere's book, Low-Band DXing, he describes a balun intended 
>for this purpose.  It was designed by W1FC, and it consisted of a two 
>stacks of 10 to 15 half-inch cores, Amidon T502-2.  The cores are 
>arranged in two rows so they look like a two hole balun.  Primary 2 
>turns, secondary 8 turns.  He describes this as a high power balun 
>(doesn't say how high) for use to match 600 to 10,000 ohms. 
>
>For 200 watts, you will need good insulated wires.  If the impedance is 
>4000 ohms with no reactive part, expect 894 volts.  For 1500 watts that 
>jumps to 2450 volts.  If it is truly a half wave antenna, the impedance 
>could be much higher, consequently much higher voltage.
>
>I haven't used a balun for this purpose, but I did once build a 5/8 
>vertical for 30M and matched it with an LC network at the base.  This 
>was a high impedance antenna.  I found the matching to be very touchy, 
>and it changed every time it rained.  Because of the high impedance, 
>stray capacitance is very significant.  I never used this antenna at 
>high power (it was a 30M antenna).
>
>John's book, Low Band DXing is a very good book (my favorite antenna 
>book) and I would highly recommend it.  I don't have the latest edition, 
>but it is on order.  Incidentally, he makes some interesting conclusions 
>about half wave vertical antennas, which are contrary to most people's 
>thinking.  He concludes that the ground currents around the base of a 
>half wave vertical increase as you move away from the base, instead of 
>being at a maximum at the base in the case of a quarter wave antenna.  
> From this he concludes that you need a better ground radial system for 
>a half wave antenna than for a quarter wave antenna. He make the 
>statement that you need radials at least 2 wavelengths long before the 
>half wave antenna will show any gain over a quarter wave antenna.  - 
>(Just an interesting tid-bit)
>
>Jerry, K4SAV
>
>Jim Smith wrote:
>
>  
>
>>I want to end-feed a half wave vertical so I can get a nice low angle of 
>>radiation.  The base of the antenna would be about 0.05 to 0.10 
>>wavelengths above ground.  It looks like the antenna impedance will be 
>>around 4,000 ohms.  I would prefer not to use tuned circuits or stubs as 
>>I would like the device to work over a 2:1 frequency range.  (No, I'm 
>>not expecting the antenna to be a half wave over a 2:1 frequency range!! 
>>I would have 2 different antennas to choose from.)  Power level is 200W.
>>
>>I was thinking that an auto-transformer with a 9:1 turns ratio would do 
>>the job and provide a reasonably low SWR for 50 ohm coax.  I figure on 
>>making the primary winding reactance about 500 Ohms at the lowest 
>>frequency of interest and adding 8 times as many turns for the 
>>secondary, presumably all on a suitable toroid.  The wire insulation 
>>would have to be suitable to withstand several hundred volts.
>>
>>The auto-transformer would also nicely solve the static drain problem.
>>
>>Am I nuts or is this actually feasible?
>>
>>If it isn't, my next step would be to look into stubs.
>>
>>73 de Jim Smith   VE7FO
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>
>>See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless 
>>Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any 
>>questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>TowerTalk mailing list
>>TowerTalk@contesting.com
>>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>
>> 
>>
>>    
>>
>
>_______________________________________________
>
>See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless 
>Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any 
>questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>
>_______________________________________________
>TowerTalk mailing list
>TowerTalk@contesting.com
>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>
>
>  
>
_______________________________________________

See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather 
Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions 
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.

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